How Alon solved his second car problem
When Alon found that his family wasn't using their second car as much as they used to, he was faced with the choice of keeping it or selling it. Renting it out on Uber Carshare proved to be the perfect solution.
When Alon’s car insurance premium went up, he decided it was time to either get his family’s second car paying for itself - or get rid of it.
“When you own two cars, at some point you need to make a decision about whether you sell the second car or not,” says Alon.
“We’ve got two kids and I take the train to work. It costs quite a lot to own a second car, especially when you think about how much of the time it sits there doing nothing.”
“I looked at renting out my car about a year before. I liked the idea that I could make some money from my car, because it wasn’t being used all that much, however I was a bit apprehensive.”
“Then over the last year we’ve been using the second car less and less, so the idea of renting it out started to make a lot of sense.”
“I thought: ‘Let’s just give it a try. If it doesn’t work, I can always pull it back off.’”
Six months later, Alon’s car is booked around 6 times a month, earning enough to cover its costs and make a little extra contribution to the family budget.
Alon didn’t have high earning expectations to start with - but in the six months since it was listed, his car’s earned over $3,600, more than covering his costs of registering, insuring and servicing it.
Since putting his Mazda 2 on Uber Carshare, Alon’s discovered how easy it is for his family to get around with one car - even with two kids.
“Once you rent out your car you realise that you don’t really need that second car. When my wife and I go out, we either go together or one of us goes and the other stays home.”
If Alon does need both cars, he usually knows in advance and can block out the second car for the time he needs it. If something comes up at the last minute, he usually takes an Uber, which he says is often easier anyway.
Renting out his car turned out to be the perfect solution to Alon’s second car problem, allowing him to keep the car and save money.
“By keeping my car and renting it out, not only does Uber Carshare let me cover the cost of owning it, plus a little bit more, but in two years I will make the same money as if I’d sold it, and still own the car."
"Then if my circumstances change and I need the second car more, I don’t have to go through the trouble and expense of buying another car.”
By renting it out, Alon’s kept the convenience of having two cars, but without the expense.
